I think I would be okay with them moving up if they really believe getting Watkins to go alongside CJ and Tate will get them to the next level.

The defense still scares me. I do have a little more faith in our young CBs to step up than I do our safety position other than Quin. I think even if Ihedigbo does a decent job this year (if we sign him), it will still be a priority fairly soon and im hoping whatever it would take to trade up doesnt get in the way of addressing that.

IMO there are a fair amount of safeties you can get in the later rounds to add a prospect to develop. I also don't feel the Safety positions would be terrible with Carey and Quinn as the 2 starters. Quinn is a good player and I think people sleep on Carey a bit. Carey has some talent and can't be any worse as the FS as Willie Young was as the starting DE, which is to say the team can get by with him starting even more so if the CBs start to get it.

March 18th, 2014, 8:26 pm

Footsoldier32

Mr. Irrelevant

Joined: February 28th, 2007, 12:13 pmPosts: 975

Re: Lions showing "Strong" interest in WR Sammy Watkins

I don't have a link but I guess that the Rams are actively shopping the No. 2 pick as well...

ORLANDO — Martin Mayhew has traveled the country to see the pro-day workouts of some of the NFL draft’s top prospects — and possible future Detroit Lions — in recent weeks.

He went to Clemson, where he and coach Jim Caldwell dined with receiver Sammy Watkins and his family. He visited UCLA, where he sat down with pass rusher Anthony Barr the day before his workout. He traveled to Oklahoma State to see top cornerback Justin Gilbert. And on Thursday, Mayhew and Caldwell will be at Texas A&M for an up-close look at receiver Mike Evans.

Evans, a shade under 6-feet-5 and 231 pounds, is widely considered the second-best receiver in the draft, behind Watkins.

He’s big and physical, and though he’s a bit unrefined in his route running because he focused on basketball most of his high school career, he is seen as having tremendous upside.

The Lions don’t have a private workout nor meeting scheduled with Evans during their trip to College Station, and Mayhew didn’t have any interest in sharing his thoughts on Evans as a prospect during lunch with beat reporters at the NFL owners meetings this week.

“If you answer Mike Evans, you’re going to ask me about 330 other guys, right?” Mayhew said. “I’m not going to comment on the guys that are on the board right now, you know what I mean? They’re all on somebody’s board right now.”

Watkins is high on most everybody’s draft board, including the Lions’.

He’s the top receiving prospect to come out of college since at least A.J. Green and Julio Jones in 2011, and the Lions probably will have to trade up from No. 10 if they want to get him.

“He’s an outstanding player,” Mayhew said. “Obviously, he’s got the speed, he’s got the quickness, he’s got the playmaking ability. Another guy you can just get the ball in his hands, and he can make something happen. And the big games that he played, he had some of his best performances. He’s a clutch guy, he’s a clutch performer.”

Caldwell said he was impressed by Watkins during their sit-down earlier this month and compared their time together with recruiting visits he used to make as a college coach, when he paid close attention to how high school players treated their parents.

“There’s not much to dislike about this young man,” Caldwell said. “He’s a quality person, he has talent and he loves to play the game.”

It's odd to hear Mayhew gushing about a player like that before the draft. Maybe he's trying to get someone else to take him or trade up for him so that the guy he really wants will fall. Or maybe he thinks that's what people will think?

I hate the the draft is in May. I'd love Watkins as a Lion, but not at the expense of adding 2-3 other solid players.

EDITED: If it would cost something like our third rounder to move up to #5, I would make that deal in a second. However I think the Raiders would rather take Watkins even if we offered our 2nd round pick as well.

"Obviously, he's got the speed, he's got the quickness, he's got the playmaking ability," Mayhew said. "Another guy you can just get the ball in his hands and he can make something happen." The general manager, along with new head coach Jim Caldwell, had dinner with Watkins and his family when visiting the prospect in South Carolina. It would be somewhat of a surprise to see Watkins make it to pick No. 10.

Source: MLive via Rotoworld

In love much? Wow. You gotta believe they are either fanning the flames for a trade back or justification to move up. I believe it's the latter if the right circumstances present themselves. 7 or 8 maybe.

March 27th, 2014, 1:48 pm

sweetd20

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: October 13th, 2005, 9:03 amPosts: 2399

Re: Lions showing "Strong" interest in WR Sammy Watkins

Watkins is an elite talent, but would adding him be better than adding a Matthews, Robinson, or Moncrief and also being able to get a combination of CB, S, LB, DE? This is a serious man crush by Mayhew that could cost the Lions two or three quality players that could make them a better team over the long haul. This isn't a smokescreen either. It's tough to put up a smokescreen for a player that looks like he's a lock to be gone by the #10 spot. I think Mayhew might be going into this draft like a gambler making his last ditch bet, he's either going to strike it big or go home with nothing. The failure these past two seasons more than likely has him on thin ice and has him feeling the pressure.

March 27th, 2014, 3:01 pm

regularjoe12

Off. Coordinator – Joe Lombardi

Joined: March 30th, 2006, 12:48 amPosts: 3987Location: Davison Mi

Re: Lions showing "Strong" interest in WR Sammy Watkins

sweetd20 wrote:

Watkins is an elite talent, but would adding him be better than adding a Matthews, Robinson, or Moncrief and also being able to get a combination of CB, S, LB, DE? This is a serious man crush by Mayhew that could cost the Lions two or three quality players that could make them a better team over the long haul. This isn't a smokescreen either. It's tough to put up a smokescreen for a player that looks like he's a lock to be gone by the #10 spot. I think Mayhew might be going into this draft like a gambler making his last ditch bet, he's either going to strike it big or go home with nothing. The failure these past two seasons more than likely has him on thin ice and has him feeling the pressure.

Where did Mayhew fail last year? From a short term look he had a pretty good draft last year. I don't see this as a smokescreen either, but I do see it as a not so subtle hint to teams 1-9 that we are an interested trade partner. I dont see this as being any different that when Mayhew tried to get...Patrick Peterson (i think is his name...the CB). I doubt Mayhew will sell the farm for Watkins, he didnt for Peterson...but he is letting everyone know that if they want to move back, we're interested! I dont see anything wrong with that.

_________________2013 Lionbacker Fantasy Football Champion

March 27th, 2014, 3:16 pm

sweetd20

Rookie Player of the Year

Joined: October 13th, 2005, 9:03 amPosts: 2399

Re: Lions showing "Strong" interest in WR Sammy Watkins

He had a good draft but the team underachieved and most of his drafts as a whole have been less than stellar. The only way they get him for a reasonable price is if he were to magically fall to Tampa and they were willing to trade instead of drafting him. I don't want to hear about Miami last year either, Warkins is a different level player and anything in the top five is going to cost Detroit at minimum their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks.

March 27th, 2014, 3:31 pm

Stallion

Play by Play Announcer - Al Michaels

Joined: October 15th, 2005, 12:45 pmPosts: 1834

Re: Lions showing "Strong" interest in WR Sammy Watkins

The only player I would trade up for is Mack, and the highest I would go would be the 5th. There is simply to much depth at WR to waste that kind of value. There will be #1 type WRs going in the second this year.

_________________2011 Adopted Lion: Rob Sims/Looking for a side job at I.H.O.P because he can't stop making pancakes.

March 27th, 2014, 3:44 pm

kdsberman

Team MVP

Joined: February 20th, 2007, 10:51 pmPosts: 3422Location: Saginaw, MI

Re: Lions showing "Strong" interest in WR Sammy Watkins

sweetd20 wrote:

He had a good draft but the team underachieved and most of his drafts as a whole have been less than stellar. The only way they get him for a reasonable price is if he were to magically fall to Tampa and they were willing to trade instead of drafting him. I don't want to hear about Miami last year either, Warkins is a different level player and anything in the top five is going to cost Detroit at minimum their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks.

I dont think it would cost THAT much. Last year, Miami traded with Oakland to move from #12 to #3 and they gave up a 2nd rounder. Would I give up a 2nd for Watkins? Absolutely. Anything more than that I dont know.